After 54 years of political dominance in Japan by the Liberal Republican party, the Democratic Party won a landslide victory in the elections of Sunday, August 31, 2009. Yukio Hayatoma, who is expected to become Prime Minister shortly, plans to cut down on government bureaucracy in order to free up funds for his parties objectives.
This change of power is extremely important in Japan's political history. Mr. Hayatoma said that people in his country were "fed up" with the governing party, as reported by the BBC and they have apparently voiced their unrest. "We will not be arrogant and we will listen to the people," he said after the election. Doesn't this sound quite a bit like the recent election in the United States? Citizens angry over the war in Iraq and the downturn in the economy ousted the Republican party in both the executive and legislative branches, hoping that a new governing party would create some change. The test of whether or not the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) can deliver on their promises will be seen in the coming years.
Also, the interaction between the United States and Japan, which has historically been very cooperative, could change. The White House said they were pleased with the change and sure that cooperation would continue, but Mr. Hayatoma has hinted that Japan could begin to distance itself from the United States.
Japanese history is marked by several different periods, where political power shifted from one group to another.
Period
Year Span
Comment
Nara Period
710 - 794
First strong Japanese state; under emperor.
Heian Period
794 - 1185
Power rested with Fujiwara family.
Kamakura Shogunate
1192 - 1333
Power seized by the samurai-class.
Kemmu Restoration
1333 - 1336
The emperor was restored to power briefly.
Northern and Southern Courts Period
1336 - 1392
Japan divided into two rival states: Ashikaga shogunate ruled in the north, the emperor ruled in the south.
Ashikaga Shogunate
1392 - 1467
Ashikaga shogunate in the north conquered the South.
Warring States Period
1467 - 1603
Various factions and groups fought for control over Japan, some briefly gaining power.
Tokugawa Shogunate
1603 - 1868
Power centralized; period of isolation from the world.
Meiji Period
1868 - 1912
The Meiji Restoration restored the emperor to power.
Taisho / Showa Period
1912 - 1951
Prime Minister / Parliament held power; emperor = symbol of power.
Occupation of Japan
1951 - 1952
Following WWII, American-led international forces occupied Japan.
Post-Occupation Japan
1952 - 2009
The Liberal Democratic Party, formed shortly after the occupation, has held power for all but three years during this period.
A New Era?
2009 - ?
With the Democratic Party of Japan's victory, could this be the beginning of a new major era in Japan's history?
Population Information
Japan and Koreas Population Pyamid Analysis
A number of different conclusions can be made by comparing the population pyramids of South Korea (left), North Korea (middle), and Japan (right). The general shape of Japan's pyramid, almost circular, points to the fact that Japan is in Stage 4 of the demographic transition (see the entry below). South Korea is in Stage 3, as it can be seen that birth rates are declining (small young cohorts). North Korea is also in Stage 3, though not quite as progressed as South Korea (this makes sense, due to the higher amount of industrialization going on in South Korea, which has resulted from higher contact with the world, especially with the United States). North Korea's population pyramid is a good example of demographic inertia, where the fluctuations between large cohorts and small cohorts follows a specific pattern, as larger cohorts create larger cohorts, etc.
Over 40,000 Japanese are a Century Old
A recent study in Japan showed that over 40,000 of their residents are over 100 years old. Japan boasts the longest life expectancy of any country in the world due to good health care, a healthy diet, and plenty of people providing money for pensions. This is supported by Japan's population pyramid above, when compared to those of the Koreas, as there are significantly more people who make it to the age of 95 and beyond. Life expectancy in nations of the world. Note the key in the top left corner. View original map on Wikipedia.
So, why does this matter?
The Japanese population is small enough that there only three working people for every one elderly person.
With fewer people of working age supporting the elderly, the government coffers will drain considerably due to health care and pension plans, especially during the recession.
The only other country in the world with more elderly people living there is, you guessed it, the United States, with more than 96,000 elderly. However, our population is more than double Japan's, and the ratio to working people to elderly is much more balanced than Japan's.
In the future, Japan's population is projected to decline, as shown here in red. This will help relieve the stress on the government. It is also predicted that in a few years the ratio of working people to elderly will normalize to 1:1, helping with the financial stress as well.
View this article on the web.
Table of Contents
Democractic Party of Japan's Victory
After 54 years of political dominance in Japan by the Liberal Republican party, the Democratic Party won a landslide victory in the elections of Sunday, August 31, 2009. Yukio Hayatoma, who is expected to become Prime Minister shortly, plans to cut down on government bureaucracy in order to free up funds for his parties objectives.This change of power is extremely important in Japan's political history. Mr. Hayatoma said that people in his country were "fed up" with the governing party, as reported by the BBC and they have apparently voiced their unrest. "We will not be arrogant and we will listen to the people," he said after the election. Doesn't this sound quite a bit like the recent election in the United States? Citizens angry over the war in Iraq and the downturn in the economy ousted the Republican party in both the executive and legislative branches, hoping that a new governing party would create some change. The test of whether or not the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) can deliver on their promises will be seen in the coming years.
Also, the interaction between the United States and Japan, which has historically been very cooperative, could change. The White House said they were pleased with the change and sure that cooperation would continue, but Mr. Hayatoma has hinted that Japan could begin to distance itself from the United States.
Japanese history is marked by several different periods, where political power shifted from one group to another.
Population Information
Japan and Koreas Population Pyamid Analysis
A number of different conclusions can be made by comparing the population pyramids of South Korea (left), North Korea (middle), and Japan (right). The general shape of Japan's pyramid, almost circular, points to the fact that Japan is in Stage 4 of the demographic transition (see the entry below). South Korea is in Stage 3, as it can be seen that birth rates are declining (small young cohorts). North Korea is also in Stage 3, though not quite as progressed as South Korea (this makes sense, due to the higher amount of industrialization going on in South Korea, which has resulted from higher contact with the world, especially with the United States). North Korea's population pyramid is a good example of demographic inertia, where the fluctuations between large cohorts and small cohorts follows a specific pattern, as larger cohorts create larger cohorts, etc.Over 40,000 Japanese are a Century Old
A recent study in Japan showed that over 40,000 of their residents are over 100 years old. Japan boasts the longest life expectancy of any country in the world due to good health care, a healthy diet, and plenty of people providing money for pensions. This is supported by Japan's population pyramid above, when compared to those of the Koreas, as there are significantly more people who make it to the age of 95 and beyond.Life expectancy in nations of the world. Note the key in the top left corner. View original map on Wikipedia.
So, why does this matter?
- The Japanese population is small enough that there only three working people for every one elderly person.
- With fewer people of working age supporting the elderly, the government coffers will drain considerably due to health care and pension plans, especially during the recession.
The only other country in the world with more elderly people living there is, you guessed it, the United States, with more than 96,000 elderly. However, our population is more than double Japan's, and the ratio to working people to elderly is much more balanced than Japan's.In the future, Japan's population is projected to decline, as shown here in red. This will help relieve the stress on the government. It is also predicted that in a few years the ratio of working people to elderly will normalize to 1:1, helping with the financial stress as well.
View this article on the web.